Origin
Charleston, SC
Afternoon in Charleston on Saturday
Local time
4:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Charleston, SC to Folly Beach, SC
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
21m
Distance
11.8 mi
19 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 20m
★
6 AM
0h 21m
8 AM
0h 25m
10 AM
0h 23m
12 PM
0h 22m
3 PM
0h 23m
5 PM
0h 25m
8 PM
0h 20m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Folly Beach, SC
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Charleston, SC to Folly Beach, SC covers 11.8 miles and takes about 21m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Meeting Street, Calhoun Street, James Island Expressway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Meeting Street | — | — |
| Calhoun Street | — | — |
| James Island Expressway | — | — |
| Folly Road | — | — |
| Center Street | — | — |
| East Arctic Avenue | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Meeting Street
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Charleston, SC and Folly Beach, SC.
1
Start on Broad Street
39 ft
·
5 sec
·
Broad Street
2
Turn right onto Meeting Street
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Meeting Street
3
Turn left onto Calhoun Street
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Calhoun Street
4
Turn straight onto James Island Expressway
2.9 mi
·
3 min
·
James Island Expressway
5
At the end of the road, turn left onto Folly Road
6.7 mi
·
12 min
·
Folly Road
6
Continue on Center Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
7
Turn left onto East Arctic Avenue
66 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Arctic Avenue
8
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.85 one way
$3.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.34 | $2.02 | $4.04 |
| premium | $4.70 | $2.18 | $4.37 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.61 | $5.21 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 4.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.24 | $0.57 |
| Efficient EV | 3 | 0 | $1.03 | $0.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.65 | $0.76 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Folly Beach, SC
Afternoon in Folly Beach on Saturday
Local time
4:58 PM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
4 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
21m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
11.8 mi in 21m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
8 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Main road: Meeting Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Charleston, SC to Folly Beach, SC is easy. At 21m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Charleston, SC to Folly Beach, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 21m. Total distance: 11.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Charleston, SC to Folly Beach, SC is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Folly Beach, SC before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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